Here is the situation: on my credit report I have a collection account listed for NCO Financial Systems for $246 owed to Progressive Insurance. In August of last year I had my credit report pulled for a job, and they said I had to pay this for them to consider me. I called up Progressive directly and payed over the phone with my charge card. A couple weeks ago I pulled a 3-in-1 report and saw this account still open with the full balance being reported on EQ and EXP. I sent off letters of dispute saying "Not My Account". I haven't received anything back yet from the bureaus in writing, but I just pulled my PrivacyGuard report and saw that EQ showed it as "Checked". I take this to mean that supposedly it is verified. I'm not sure what to do next. For starters, the debt has been paid and they are incorrectly reporting it, and verifiying the information as correct. Should I send a letter to NCO demanding debt validation? Nadine
I should probably add that NCO has not sent me a collection letter in over two years. If I were to send a letter to them, it would not be in response to anything they sent me.
Butch, NCO is the only one reporting. My guess is that Progressive never told them the account had been paid and closed since they are still showing it as open and delinquent.
Now that the account is closed they have no reason to pull your report. By telling them they're reporting incorrectly, FIX IT, (but not telling them why) they probably will pull your report to see what's up. That's a No PP pull. $1,000 statutory fine. Then use that as leverage to get your deletion. See? .
I am also dealing with NCO Financial.... I was dealing with an old electric bill of $325 from a Ski house. The bill was from 98' and they had NEVER contacted me once. I called them because I just wanted this thing gone. Well the very nice woman promised if I had paid the bill it would be removed from my reports (I never got it in writing because im a Dumbass). well 2 months later the bill is paid and it was removed from my TU report but not my EQ the balance is now $0 bet noone is returning my phone calls. Is validation my next step or am i too late because I paid the bill....???
I don't think validation would be your next step. Do you have proof of your payment? I would obtain that and then send them a letter telling them to remove it as it was settled and send a copy of your proof. If that doesn't get it removed, send an ITS. That will get you some attention. Also, just as Butch said, they will likely do a non-PP on your CR....when they do, nail 'em with a $1k demand letter.
Thanks for the advice Butch. I'm going to send out a modified version of the Debt Validation 02 letter. I'm not going to state that it was paid months ago and that they have incorrectly reported it to the CRA's. I'm just going to state it's incorrect and see what they do. I'd really like them to send me a letter demanding payment . I now have the results of both the EXP and EQ investigation - EQ shows it as open and owing $246. EXP shows it as closed and owing $246. One last question - what if they rack up several violations and in the end claim they are not responsible because Progressive did not inform them the debt had been paid? Nadine
